The Batman and the Penguin: Year Zero
by Vorgryn
Summary: Two men return home to Gotham after years away. Their journey can change the fate of the city for the better or worse. Gotham is in danger and it is up to these two individuals to do something about it.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! I am really excited to be starting a new story. I hope you all enjoy it. So without further ado have fun.**

**P.S. I don't own Batman or any related properties.**

**Summary: Two men return home to Gotham after years away. Their journey has the capability to change the fate of the city for the better or worse. Gotham is in danger and it is up to these two individuals to do something about it.**

**Bruce Wayne**

***Flashback***

**(Boat to Asia)**

He had to do it. Bruce didn't want to leave Gotham, but it was necessary for what he needed to do. There were skills he needed to learn so that he could one day come back and save his home. That's why he now found himself on a boat to Korea, traveling to the mystical lands of the east.

He had read of a man living in the mountains of North Korea who could teach people things that they couldnt even imagine. A master fighter by the name of Kirigi, who only trained a select few individuals. Bruce was determined to learn from the man.

He had already learned much that would help him one day protect Gotham. He had learned how to have a near-perfect recall, data analysis, speed reading, boxing, and much more, but it wasn't enough. He needed to learn how to fight and how to control his mind. It was imperative that he learned multiple forms of fighting styles so that he could better defend himself and others in the streets of the city.

Bruce also wanted to learn skills in languages, manipulation, and much more. It would take time, but he was sure that in the end, it would be worth it. He would become the protector that Gotham needed. He would save the city his parents had spent their lives trying to better. Gotham was in his blood and he would stop at nothing to save it.

***End of Flashback***

**Jim Gordon**

**(Bar)**

James W. Gordon sat nursing a bottle of the cheapest whiskey he could find. It had been another unsuccessful day of trying to uphold justice in Gotham. Sometimes it felt like there was nothing he could do as a cop to save the city, but that didn't stop him from trying. No matter how corrupt the GCPD got or the criminals became he would fight to help Gotham.

The most recent debacle was the red hood gang. They had come into the city almost completely by surprise. Some people thought that it was Falcone who had hired them, but Jim knew better. Falcone was getting old and losing power, this was something new. He didn't know who had orchestrated it, but things were quickly getting worse.

The gang had robbed over thirty banks in the past four weeks and the police were no closer to finding out anything about them. They were like ghosts wherever they went. There was no trail left behind, no evidence they were even there save the hundreds of thousands of missing dollars. The worst part was that nobody knew what the money was being used for.

Jim had a feeling that the gang was only getting started. They were raising capital for something… bigger, and whatever it was had to be terrible. It could be some sort of takeover, a new drug ring, but something didn't feel right about either of those options. Whatever this was… felt like something Gotham had never seen before.

Jim sighed as he raised the glass to his lips. If it wasn't for the cheap whiskey he wasn't sure what he would do. He had his family and they helped, but sometimes it wasn't enough. Sometimes he just needed to take his mind off of everything. He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of the television.

"This just in, Bruce Wayne is returning to Gotham! The billionaire went missing nearly eight years ago and was presumed dead, but reports indicate that he contacted his butler, Alfred Pennyworth, and said that he would be returning to the city tomorrow. This is exciting news and I'm sure that we will all be excited to welcome Bruce back to his home with open arms."

'Typical' Jim thought, 'this city is facing real problems and all the news wants to focus on is the prince of Gotham's return.' As if Bruce Wayne was going to help solve any problems in the city. He was just going to go back to being the drunk playboy that the tabloids loved to gossip about.

Jim tipped the glass back and finished the remainder. He slammed it down on the counter, threw out some cash, and walked out the door. He had a family to get to and a job to do. Bruce Wayne might not be helping Gotham anytime soon, but Jim Gordan certainly would.

**Bruce Wayne**

**(Private Airstrip)**

Bruce tensed when he got off of the plane to see the swarm of reporters standing there. He had suspected that this would happen even though he was on private property. Photos were immediately being taken and questions raised, but Bruce was on a one-track mind. He walked straight through the crowd and headed towards the limo where Alfred stood waiting.

They both got into the car and told the driver to head back to the manor as quickly as possible. Bruce sighed with relief that he was away from the crowd of onlookers and slumped back into his seat.

"You couldn't have stopped them from swarming the plane?" Bruce asked.

"And get trampled by a mob?" Alfred replied, raising his eyebrow.

"Ha! Fair enough."

The conversation stopped there but Alfred was watching him intently and Bruce knew that the man wanted answers. He sighed again and straightened a bit, might as well get this over with.

"I know you have questions, Alfred… ask them." Bruce said.

"For now I only have two Master Bruce, why did you go and why did you come back?"

"I left because there were things I needed to learn that I couldn't do in Gotham… I came back because the city needs me." Bruce replied.

"Needs you for what sire?"

"To save it," Bruce said.

The questions ceased after that. Alfred seemed content enough with his answers and began informing him of the state of the manor and the latest things happening and Wayne Enterprises. It was all business as usual for the most part. The company was developing projects and were planning on going public and the manor was exactly as it was when he had left the city.

Bruce didn't care much about the company though. He was here for a purpose. He had spent the past eight years training to come back to Gotham in order to save it. The city was corrupt and he now had the power to do something about it. He was going to stop the flow of crime in the city if it was the last thing he did.

He had spent the plane ride researching all the latest news of crime in the city. He found the reports of several bank robberies to be quite interesting. It looked as though a new criminal syndicate was coming into Gotham just as he was. It was almost poetic in a sense, a new threat just in time for him to stop it.

Bruce wanted to visit the crime scenes as soon as possible. He knew that the police had almost nothing on these robbers, but they might have missed something, he wouldn't. The problem though was that he needed to get integrated back into the city culture first. He had to keep up a facade of normalcy. He needed to do something big and soon.

"Alfred, when we get back to the manor I want you to start preparing it for a charity ball in honor of my return. We need to let people know that I'm back to business as usual." Bruce said.

"Very good, Master Bruce. For what charity will this be held?" Alfred asked.

"Fundraising for the new Arkham project, I read about it on the way back."

"Are you sure sire? That project has a lot of… undesirable attention." Alfred said.

"I'm sure, Alfred… That hospital was my parent's dream," Bruce said.

"It will be done, Master Wayne. We can hold the ball within the week."

"Thank you, Alfred… for everything."

In all honesty, there was another reason he wanted to raise funding for Arkham. He had looked into the people behind the new take on Arkham and he wanted to meet them. One of the leaders, Dr. Hugo Strange, was a person of interest to Bruce. Hugo had worked with his father and he had always thought there was more to the man than meets the eye. There was something… not right about the Arkham project and he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

It would also help for people to see him holding such a ball so soon after his return. They would see it as his return to normalcy and wouldn't expect a thing when he started his nighttime activities. It was the perfect opportunity to build a semblance of the Wayne pride that once ran strong in Gotham and to establish a cover. He would need to find out something more permanent to evade suspicion, but this would do for now.

It was going to be a busy week for sure. Now though, all Bruce wanted to do was relax. He tilted his head back onto the seat and closed his eyes. There was work to be done, but for now, he could rest. He would certainly need it.

**Oswald Cobblepot**

**(Gotham City Airport)**

"Oswald wait up!" Jake called.

Oswald Cobblepot stopped and waited for his friend to catch up. They had just returned to Gotham after serving nearly ten years in the United States Marine Corps. It was the first time that Oswald had seen his home since he left it at the age of 23. Now all he wanted to do was forget about the fighting and begin his new life.

"What do you want Jake, I have places to be?" Oswald asked.

"I just wanted to ask if you're going to the memorial," Jake said.

Oh yes, the memorial. Grant Peirce was another of the men in Oswald's squad. He was killed in combat only shortly before they had finished up their service. Grand's family had decided to hold off the service until the squad finished their last tour of duty so that they could attend the funeral. As much as he wanted to forget all that he had seen in the war, Oswald knew that he had to go. It would look really bad if he didn't.

"Yeah… It's tonight right?" Oswald asked.

"Yes, see you then," Jake said before running off to talk to someone else.

Jake had always been the more outgoing between the two of them. He had made friends with everyone in their squad, but Oswald had only ever really talked to two people, Jake and Ezra. He had become quice friends with Ezra Quinn, but shortly after their third tour began he was shot in the head right next to Oswald.

Oswald kept mostly to himself after that, not even talking to Jake as much. The other soldiers respected his space and when the tour was over he, Jake, and several others decided that they had served their duty and that they were done. Now all that was left was to attend Grant's funeral and he could finally be done with all of it.

He wasn't sure what he would do now that he was finished with his service. He didn't have much money to his name, but he was certain that he could get a job somewhere in Gotham. Oswald didn't much care for what he ended up doing. Life had lost its glamor to him a long time ago.

Whatever the case of what he would do, he needed to find a place to stay for a couple of days at least. Jake had offered for him to stay with his family, but that just seemed to… strange to Oswald. Jake was nice, but he already had offered a couple of others the same thing and Oswald want to be cramped with so many familiar faces, even if it was only for a few days. He knew of someone else he might be able to stay with for a few days.

He walked over to a phone booth and pulled out his notepad. He had not spoken to this person in over ten years, but he had been one of the only people that Oswald could rely on after the big scandal with his parents was revealed. His only friend throughout high school after Wayne abandoned him. Sighing, he picked up the phone and called the number of Edward Nygma.

**Bruce Wayne**

**(Wayne Manor)**

Alfred had been making arrangements for the ball all morning whilst Bruce had been in his office. He had been researching the police, crime, Wayne Enterprises, and much more. Currently, he was going over the bank crimes and any link they might have to any of the current mob bosses in Gotham. The two most well-known criminals were Falcone and Maroni, but neither seemed the type to do this kind of thing.

Falcone had been slowly decreasing his criminal activity for nearly a decade. There were reports of a decline in his health and there was growing speculation about his approaching death. On top of all that Falcone had always been a controlled mob boss. A bunch of brash bank robberies, especially now, just didn't seem like his MO.

Maroni was certainly brash, but he was more focused on the drug trade of Gotham. His criminal activity was highly profitable though so why would he need to rob a bank. It was possible that he was raising money for some sort of takeover of the Gotham criminal underworld, but that was also unlikely as Maroni hadn't made a play at Falcone in nearly three decades.

This all felt like it was coming from some new player. There was some connection that wasn't being seen. The red hood gang was attacking with military precision and leaving no trace of there whereabouts. Someone powerful was behind this… Bruce could feel it. The only question now was who?

"Master Bruce, I am sending out invitations to the normal fair, but is there anyone, in particular, you want to be invited?" Alfred asked, poking his head through the door.

"Yes, I want you to invite Detective James Gordon and Lucius Fox," Bruce replied.

"Any particular reason sire?"

"I want to meet them. I think that they may be very influential in future plans." Bruce said.

"Verry good, and are you planning to have a plus one to the ball?" Alfred asked.

"Not at the moment. I'll let you know if that changes, thank you, Alfred."

Alfred left the room and went back to making preparations. It made Bruce happy to see the man so busy. Alfred loved holding events at the manor, in a strange sense it seemed like he and the house were linked in a sort of way. Helping the Wayne family was something that Alfred thrived on. If Bruce was honest, he knew that he wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Alfred's help.

As for the guest list, there were several people that Bruce wanted to speak to; William Earle, Hugo Strange, James Gordon, and Lucius Fox. As far as Bruce was concerned, the four of them were the only reason to hold this ball. He didn't want to host a party, but if it would get him an opportunity to meet these men then it was what he was going to do.

William Earle was the acting CEO of Wayne Enterprises. He was the deciding factor in taking the company public which was something that Bruce was interested in. Earle also had connections to all of the projects being done by W.E. so that made him a key figure in whatever was going on with the Arkham project.

Hugo Strange was the main person that Bruce wanted to speak to regarding the Arkham project. The man was smart and a master of misdirection from what Bruce could tell from the interviews he watched. The conversation would be informative, but it would also be informative to Strange. Bruce didn't see it as too much of a problem though, he had learned how to manipulate people in his travels, Hugo Strange wouldn't be a problem.

James Gordon was an interesting choice. After going through all of the files on the various officers and detectives at the GCPD, Gordon was the only one he couldnt find dirt on. He was also the cop who had comforted Bruce when his parents had died so Bruce felt a sense of gratitude towards the man. He was the one person in Gotham as devoted to stopping crime as him. If he could then Bruce wanted to involve Gordon on some level.

The last man on his itinerary to speak to was Lucius Fox. He had never met the man, but he had read great things about him in his father's notes. He was in charge of the applied sciences division at W.E. and had been developing multiple secret gadgets that Bruce wanted to know more about. He was a key part of everything that Bruce wanted to accomplish in Gotham… all he had to do was convince him.

Bruce sighed, throwing the file he had on Lucius on the table. He had been at this for over six hours without a break. There was only so much that he could find out from files and online records even with his skills in hacking. He needed to get his mind off things… he needed to hit someone.

He got up and went to his bedroom where he had put his suitcase. He had asked Alfred not to unload it and that he would do it himself. He wasn't ready for Alfred to know everything about his new plans yet… they would get there eventually. For now, he just needed his stuff.

He had a black mask and hoodie along with a pair of metal arm braces. It was the best he could do with what he had available, but he hoped to be getting an upgrade soon enough. For now, he just wanted answers, and there was one way that he could get them best. Tonight It would be finally time to start his war.

**Oswald Cobblepot**

**(Gotham Central Cemetary)**

The service had been short and sweet, but to Oswald, it felt like an eternity. All eyes had been on the fellow soldiers of the man who died. It was extremely uncomfortable, but at least it was over now. Things were finally looking up for him. Nygma had even agreed to let him stay for a few days whilst he got his affairs in order.

Unfortunately, Nygma had been to busy with work to come to pick him up from the graveyard so he was going to have to take another taxi. It was fine though, Oswald didn't want to inconvenience the man more than he already had. He doubted that Nygma was thrilled to have someone he hadn't seen in such a long time crashing on his couch.

Oswald finished saying goodbye to a few people before he headed off and called for a taxi. One eventually arrived, but just as he was getting in his phone rang. He told the driver the address and then pulled out his phone. Oswald didn't recognize the number, but he had nothing better to do so he answered it.

"Oswald Cobblepot speaking how may I help you?" He asked.

"Yes, Mr. Cobblepot. This is your family's attorney speaking, Danny Robbins."

"Are you sure you have the right number? My family doesn't have an attorney."

"If this is indeed Mr. Oswald Cobblepot then I can assure you that your family hired me as their attorney. Now that you have returned to Gotham after your service all my resources can be dedicated to you."

"Umm, well thank you, but I don't think I am in need of a lawyer at the moment," Oswald said.

"I believe you might Mr. Cobblepot. You see, you are now the sole benefactor of your families… assets. I would like to meet with you in the near future to talk about it." Robbins said.

"Assets? Mr. Robbins, my family was desolate, we didn't have any assets."

"I can understand your confusion Mr. Cobblepot. After your parent's unfortunate… dealings with the Wayne's it was unsafe for them to utilize their resources any longer. They told me to transfer everything to your name and to call you when you were ready. Now that you're back I believe it is time for you to be granted ownership of the Cobblepot estate." Robbins said.

"I still don't understand… what does all this mean?" Oswald asked.

"Mr. Cobblepot, I don't want there to be any confusion for you. Would you be able to stop by my office tomorrow?"

"Y-yes, I don't have plans yet. I'll stop by around noon."

"Splendid. Have a wonderful day Mr. Cobblepot."

After that the call ended, leaving Oswald to his thoughts. His parents had money and they left it all to him? He had assumed that all of his family's wealth went away after his father's ties to the criminal underworld were revealed by Thomas Wayne. Finding out that he was wrong… it changed everything.

He hoped that this wasn't some sort of trick and that the lawyer wasn't just scamming him. The Cobblepots had a reputation in Gotham and it was unusual for anyone to do anything kind for one of them. This could be a scheme, but Oswald had to find out the truth. If his parent's estate belonged to him then there was a possibility that he might actually be able to build a semblance of what he had once known in Gotham.

The taxi pulled to a stop moments later. Oswald paid the driver and got out to observe his surroundings. The apartment was in the lower district of Gotham or the narrows as it was more commonly called. It was a rundown building, but Oswald didn't mind that, he had certainly stayed in worse.

He ascended the stairs and stopped at the number that Nygma had indicated. There was a large question mark carved into the door. 'Strange' Oswald thought, 'Why is that there?' He sighed, It was probably nothing. Tons of people in the Narrows liked to carve things and vandalize property, that must have been it. He braced himself and knocked on the door, it was time to see his old friend again.

**Bruce Wayne**

**(Streets of Gotham)**

Bruce approached the three men, moving from shadow to shadow across the alley. He had noticed the exchange happening from the rooftops and had decided that it was time to intercede. It was a drug deal and it looked to be going south. The three men had begun shouting and their hands were rested on their weapons.

He snuck forwards and was positioned nearly directly behind the buyer by a dumpster and a pile of overflowing garbage. The air was tense and the conversation hostile. Bruce was worried that they would start shooting at any moment. He needed to act soon before anyone got themselves killed.

"You told me that you had six pounds of the stuff!" One of the men yelled.

"So I'm a little short man, it's not a big deal," another replied.

"It is a big deal! If I go back without the stuff he'll kill me!"

"Well there's nothing I can really do about that is there?"

"Yeah… you can die!" The man screamed pulling out his gun.

Bruce jumped up, wrapping his arm around the man's throat. He slammed his head into the dumpster and whirled to face the two remaining men. They were both reaching for their weapons, but Bruce was too quick for them. He lunged forward slamming into one of them into the wall before spinning around and kicking the other squarely in the chest sending him sprawling.

Bruce stepped forward and began punching the man against the wall over and over again. The man fell backward unconscious and bloody but right after Bruce felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. He stumbled forward before spinning around to find the second drug dealer holding a metal pipe swinging wildly at him. Bruce ducked and dodged the blows before kicking his leg out and sweeping the man's legs out from under him. Bruce pounced on top of the man and slammed his head into the pavement knocking him out.

All three men now lay unconscious in the alley, Bruce standing victoriously above them. He felt the surge of adrenaline leave him and he fell against the wall breathing heavily. It had been a long time since he had done anything like this. He had been training, yes, but actually fighting? He hadn't done this in several weeks because he was so focused on planning his return.

Bruce groaned as he pushed himself from the wall. His head was pounding from the blow he had received, but there was still one thing he had to do. The buyer had mentioned someone he was working for. Bruce needed to know who that was, so he grabbed the man and began dragging him to one of the nearby roofs.

(Gotham Rooftop)

"Who do you work for?" Bruce roared, slamming his fist into the man's face.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" The man replied.

"Wrong answer!" Bruce said.

He grabbed the man by his collar and began pulling him over to the edge of the roof.

"Hey man! What are you doing?" The man cried.

"Tell me what I want to know or else!" Bruce said.

"I can't, he'll kill me!"

"Wrong answer," Bruce growled letting go of the man's collar.

The man started flailing wildly before Bruce grabbed him at the last second by the bottom of his shirt.

"Last chance, talk or fall!" Bruce said.

"Crane! The man who hired me is Johnathan Crane! Please, just let me go!" The man said, beginning to sob.

Bruce pulled him up and threw him down onto the rooftop.

"Why were you hired to buy drugs from those men?" Bruce asked.

"I don't know, but… those aren't normal drugs man."

"What do you mean?"

"They make things appear man… bad things. I swear that's all I know! I don't know what he wants with the stuff!" The man said.

"Then you're of no more use to me," Bruce said, punching the man and knocking him out.

He had already called the police to the area of the crime. He would leave this man with the others and head back home. He needed to find out more about Jonathan Crane and these special drugs. To think he had just gone out to hit a few thugs. Bruce had a feeling that he had stumbled upon something big, now all he had to figure out was what.

**Hey, everyone! Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please feel free to leave a review and stay tuned for more content!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I didn't mention it in chapter 1 but, obviously, my takes on some of the characters will be an original idea/alternative inspiration. They will each eventually reach their overarching role in the Batman mythos, but how they get there and what they do with their power will be different.**

**Two examples of this are Oswald Cobblepot and Edward Nygma.**

**Oswald Cobblepot is an ex-marine who is fed up with violence and suffering from PTSD. He will slowly go from this point to becoming the Penguin, Kingpin of the Gotham underworld. The key differences are that he is in near perfect physical condition (fit/no limp), he is extremely proficient in hand to hand combat (I know that Penguin is a master in Judo, but he knows even more styles in my version), and is good looking (not deformed. -See more in Character Descriptions chapter.) He will eventually gain some battle scars and we might see his signature limp/waddle and deformities eventually, but this is where he is now.**

**Edward Nygma is found as a man slowly losing his mind whilst still being extremely intelligent. His initial insanity might seem off from the usual Riddler persona, but he will get there in time. He is not a villain yet, but in time he will crumble and be reborn into one of Batman's greatest foes…**

**All this being said I sincerely hope that you enjoy chapter 2. Please leave a comment telling me your thoughts!**

**P.S. I do not own Batman or any of the associated properties.**

**Oswald Cobblepot**

***Flashback***

"_Oswald!" Ezra called out._

"_Yeah, Ez?" Oswald replied._

"_You coming or not? The villagers invited us to their feast."_

"_Yeah, I'll be out in a second, I just gotta finish my book," Oswald said._

"_Alright, Just don't stay stuck up here too long. There's more to life than what's in those pages Ossy." Ezra said._

"_I'll believe it when I see it." Oswald finished with a laugh._

_Ezra began to make his way to the door and Oswald went back to the pages of his favorite book 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. He was fascinated by the character of Edmond Dantes and his misfortune. It reminded Oswald of his youth when he would fantasize about taking revenge on the people who betrayed his family. Those were just boyhood dreams though, now he liked the book because it reminded him that in order to receive vengeance one needed to give up everything they loved. That was not the kind of man that Oswald wanted to be._

_His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a large explosion across the room. He looked up to see that the wall of the house was caved in. Oswald heard gunshots from outside, dived behind his bed, and began to search frantically under the bed for his gun. He needed to find protection before the enemy reached his position or he would be a sitting duck._

_Oswald heard footsteps from across the room just as his hand found the grip of his rifle. He pulled out the gun and pointed it above the mattress to find three Taliban soldiers in the house. He immediately began firing, managing to take out all three men before they could get a shot off. Oswald was one of the best marksmen in his regiment, often taking out dozens of enemy soldiers in quick succession. He thanked whatever deity looking down on him that his reflexes were so refined. The fight wasn't over though, there was still more gunfire coming from outside, and he had to stop them._

***End of Flashback***

**(Nygma's Apartment)**

Oswald awoke in a pool of sweat, breathing heavily. It had been a few nights since he had dreamed about the war, but the nightmares had yet to truly go away. He glanced over at his alarm to see that the time read 5:30 AM. That had been his typical wake-up time in the army so he wasn't too surprised that it had carried over to civilian life.

He got out of bed as quietly as he could and began to get prepared for the day. He didn't want to risk waking Edward before he had a chance to get ready. The previous night had been strange between the two of them. Oswald was glad to have a place to stay for a couple of days so he could get his feet on the ground, but Edward was different than what he remembered.

Nygma had always been a bit strange during their time in school. They had both gotten along because of their mutual love of books, but Oswald had always felt something… off, about the boy. It wasn't a bad thing and it honestly intrigued him, but now that he was seeing this new side of Ed out in the opening, it was a lot to get used to.

Edward had spent the evening chatting Oswald's ear off about all the latest events in Gotham, his time in the army, and asking… riddles. Oh goodness, the riddles were nearly unbearable. Once Nygma found out that Oswald could actually answer his questions correctly things got much more intense. He took the riddles and puzzles far too seriously in Oswald's opinion, but there wasn't much he could do about it. It was Edwards's house and he didn't want to be a poor guest.

Edward had told him that he was working over at the GCPD and had even offered to help him get an interview there should he want it. It was a kind offer, but right now Oswald was focused on the meeting he had scheduled with his family's lawyer. If the lawyer was legitimate, then Oswald would soon be in possession of some form of inheritance. He was curious about what this could mean for his future and was excited to find out more.

Oswald picked out a simple outfit of blue jeans and a grey button up. He didn't have anywhere, in particular, to be until his meeting with the lawyer, but he wanted to explore the city a bit beforehand. It had been a long time since he had been in Gotham and he wanted to find out how much of it he remembered. Another reason he wanted to leave early was that he wanted to spend the least amount of time in the apartment that he had too.

Nearly every room of Edward's home was cluttered with different gadgets, technology, and papers. Oswald honestly didn't know how Ed knew where anything was, but the man seemed to navigate the chaos with ease. 'Oh well' Oswald though, 'just another reason to find my own place quickly.'

He stepped quietly over to the door and opened it into the living room. All the clutter was still there and he had to wade through the piles in order to reach the front door. Oswald quickly scribbled down a note about him leaving and hung it on the door, but just when he was about to leave a voice called out from behind him.

"Oswald? Just where are you off to in such a hurry? I was just about to start breakfast." Edward said.

Oswald turned to see the man dressed in a dark green onesie. He had messy hair and bleary eyes and part of Oswald was wondering if he had even gone to bed. This was too strange for him. He had to get out of the apartment and fast.

"Oh, I'm sorry but a friend called and asked to meet," Oswald said.

"Alright, well if you want I can drive yo-" Edward started.

"No!... no, I don't want to bother you. I can make it there. Don't wait up, I won't be making it back till late tonight. I have a lot of things to get in order."

Before Edward could respon Oswald opened the door and walked out. He felt bad for lying, but he couldn't stand being asked another riddle so early. It felt rude to run out like that, but what was done was done. Now he could spend the day exploring the city and if he was lucky then Nygma would be asleep when he got back.

**Bruce Wayne**

**(Wayne Manor)**

Bruce had spent the entire night after his fight with the thugs studying everything he could on Dr. Jonathan Crane. Crane was a professor of psychology with an emphasis on the study of fear. He helped out occasionally at the Asylum dealing with the more aggressive patients there. He was well renowned and looked to be completely clean to the unobservant reader.

Bruce was no unobservant reader though, he was a detective. He had already started a file on all of Crane's mysterious and questionable activities. The first death in Arkham was one under the watch of Crane and his staff. This alone was not enough to pin him, especially since all of the staff supported him, but the circumstances were definitely strange.

Crane also had a habit of taking long leaves of absence from Gotham University, but these were explained away as 'research vacations.' Several students had also reported some supposedly ruthless tactics that Crane used to show the power of fear on the human brain, but no concrete proof had ever stuck. There were a lot of suspicious activities revolving around the man, but the problem would be proving it.

The people of Gotham at large loved Dr. Crane. He helped in legal services, charmed parents, and was seen as a caring man for the Arkham patients. Bruce could see through it all though. The man was dirty as sin and he would find a way to prove it.

He closed the file and rubbed his eyes thoroughly. He had been at this for hours and the sun was beginning to shine through the window. Alfred would be up soon and he needed to put away his things before the man saw them. He needed to ease the butler into things and though Bruce was almost certain that Alfred would not call the police on him, he knew that the man would not like what he was doing.

Alfred had always cared for Bruce since the day he was born. Bruce loved him for it, but the drawback was that convincing Alfred of his vigilantism would certainly be tough. Bruce planned on telling him soon, but it would have to be after the ball. He didn't want people sensing that things were tense between him and his butler on his first foray back into society.

He got up, closed the computer, and began walking back to his room. He passed by the portrait of his parents, stopping and looking up at them for a few seconds. Bruce still missed them greatly and he often found himself wondering what life would be like had it not been for the alleyway. Sighing, he turned away from the painting and carried on down the corridor.

After reaching his room, he slipped out of his vigilante attire and put on some more appropriate clothing. He now looked like he had spent the night sleeping in his bed instead of beating up criminals. He decided to lay down and try to get a little bit of sleep before he got busy working on the many new things that he had discovered in the past few days.

**Oswald Cobblepot**

**(Legal Offices)**

Oswald had spent his morning seeing some of the many wonderful sights of his childhood home. He had visited the Japanese Gardens, the Gotham-Metropolis bridge, and Cobblepot park. The park had decayed a lot after his parents had lost all their wealth, but it was one of the best memories Oswald had of his childhood.

Now he sat waiting outside the doors of Danny Robbin's office. Whatever good things could be said about the man, promptness was not one of them. It was nearly an hour after their arranged meeting time and Oswald was still waiting. The secretary had said that Robbins was finishing up with another client, but if this was what finishing up looked like, Oswald was worried how long this meeting would take.

At long last, the door opened and a gruff looking man with a scar over his eye walked out. Behind him stood a man with a fine tailored suit and slicked-back hair. He looked to be in his fifties and in quite a good condition despite his age. This was Danny Robbins, Oswald's supposed new lawyer.

"Ah, Mr. Cobblepot is it? Welcome back to Gotham." Robbins said, turning to face him.

Oswald stood up and shook the man's hand firmly. Robbins's grip was surprisingly strong, but Oswald supposed that when the majority of your job was making deals then you would know how to shake a hand well.

"Oswald is fine thank you. You wanted to meet with me?" Oswald asked.

"Yes, of course! Come on into my office and we can get started." Robbins said, stepping back from the doorframe.

Oswald stepped inside to see the well-decorated workplace. The floor, desk, and shelves were all fine wood and everything was neatly organized. There were law books and files lining the shelves and a computer sat on the office desk. The organization was a refreshing change from Nygma's chaos.

Oswald took a seat across from Robbins and watched the man for a few seconds. Robbins opened his drawer and took out two mints, handing the second to Oswald. After popping the candy in his mouth he grabbed a nearby file and began reading. After about a minute or so he looked up and spoke.

"Ah yes, I finally found it, the Cobblepot estate. You have quite the inheritance here Oswald."

"What exactly does that mean sir?" Oswald asked.

"Well, it means my boy, that you are now the sole owner of 7.4 Billion dollars along with the Cobblepot family home, park, and enterprises," Robbins said.

Oswald was absolutely stunned. He was a billionaire. He was the second richest man in Gotham behind Bruce Wayne. He had no idea that his parents had so much money. They had always lived well, but billionaire status was completely unexpected, especially after their arrest. Where had this money come from?

"Mr. Robbin's-" Oswald started.

"Call me Danny."

"Danny… Where exactly did all of this come from? My parents were arrested and-" Oswald continued before the man cut him off once more.

"Oswald, I can assure you that all this money is clean. Your parents might have not made their billions in the most… legitimate way, but all the money that you now have access to is completely beyond reproach. I have spent the last few decades laundering the cash from and back into your account, taking my fair share of course, and I am happy to tell you that I finished a few years ago. You're a billionaire now Oswald, you should celebrate!" Danny said.

All of it sounded great. He was in control of a fortune and he could do whatever he wanted. It happened completely by surprise, but Oswald wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. This was a blessing and he planned on taking advantage of it. There were a few more things he needed to know first though.

"You mentioned the Cobblepot family home and enterprises. I was unaware of any such properties in my family." Oswald said.

"Ah yes, well you're home has been in your family tree for years, but I'm not surprised that you've never heard of it as it fell into quite a bit of ruin nearly sixty years ago. Your parents decided not to repair it and focus on other things, but if you would like then I can arrange to have the home restored. As for Cobblepot Enterprises, it was the company that your parents did all of their business out of. No one works their anymore and it is no longer recognized as a business, but you still hold ownership of the building." Danny said.

The longer this conversation went on the more surprised Oswald became. The Cobblepot home and enterprises were a complete mystery to him. He desperately wanted to find out more though. All thoughts of living out a simple miserable life were gone now. Oswald felt like he had a purpose once more and he wanted to find out what that was.

"I would like to know more about the estate and I would like to set up a time to go and see it later in the week to make a decision about repairs. As for the enterprise building, go ahead and keep it. I am not ready to do something with it yet, but it might come in useful in the future."

Danny looked at him in admiration before scribbling down a few notes. Oswald was curious about the man's look, but before he could think about it too much longer Danny looked up and resumed talking.

"I forgot how much I missed working with your family. I'll make arrangements for the tour of your estate. As for more information about it all I can say is that it has existed since the foundation of Gotham. Your family was one of the six founding families of this city. I have a book about it if you would like."

"There were only five founding families though, and none of them were Cobblepot," Oswald said.

"I assure you that there were six. It's all a bit complicated and I don't know the specifics. I'm sure you can learn much more about it from the book." Danny said.

"Ok, I'll read it. Is there any more information I need at the moment?" Oswald asked.

"I'm sure that there is a lot on your mind right now, but there are two more things we must discuss. The first is your family's business files, which I can have sent to your address once you settle back into Gotham. The second thing is the Wayne Ball that is happening tomorrow. You have been sent an invitation and will be expected to show up." Danny said.

'The Wayne Ball?' Oswald thought. Bruce had gotten back from his supposed death and after two days he was throwing a ball? 'Typical Wayne logic' He thought.

"I'll let you know the address for the files when I have it," Oswald said. "As for the ball, why was I invited to it?"

"All of the founding and influential families are automatically sent invitations when any of the other's throw something like this. Now that you are titled as the heir to the Cobblepot fortune you have a claim to all invitations and preceding that deal with your estate. Attending will be a good way to introduce yourself as a new series player in the Gotham upper class." Danny said.

'Great' Oswald thought, 'Ten minutes in and I'm already expected to flaunt my wealth.' He knew that he needed to go though. He still had no idea how to even begin to process the information that he had been given or what he was going to do with his newfound prosperity, but introducing himself would be a good first step. The only thing that worried him was actually meeting Bruce again.

"Alright, I'll attend the event," Oswald said.

"Excellent decision. I'll find a tailor that you can visit tomorrow and call if you need anything else before the ball. For the moment I'll continue to represent all of your legal affairs, but if you would prefer someone-" Danny said before being cut off.

"No, I want you. You know more about my family than anyone else in this city. I'll let you know about anything I need and I'll hopefully have a place for you to send the files by the end of the week. Right now I have a lot to process through… thank you, Danny." Oswald said.

"Very good. I'm glad to be of service to your family once more. Have a good evening Oswald."

"You too," Oswald said.

He got up and left the office, waving goodbye to the secretary as he left. He had a lot on his plate now, but he was excited by it. Oswald had always loved complex problems and finding solutions. Now that he had access to such a great fortune, he was sure that he could find solutions for problems on a much bigger scale. All he had to do now was to find something that he wanted to do.

**Bruce Wayne**

**(Wayne Manor)**

The morning had been spent sending and receiving calls of thanks for the ball, and helping Alfred move some of the heavier items for decorating. It was easy enough work, but Bruce appreciated the chance to get his mind off of things. He had a lot of things to do and starting with simple things was a good chance to prepare for his more difficult tasks.

Once they were finished, Alfred made lunch before continuing arrangements. Bruce was left to his own devices and took this as an opportunity to check one of the things he needed to do off his list. He needed to visit Wayne Tower. There were certain things that he could only access once he was inside the Tower. He needed to secure a permanent position in the company so he could have a constant connection to the tower's systems but for now, he just needed to obtain the key files on the people he would be meeting tomorrow night.

Heading to the garage, Bruce decided to pick an all-black and quiet vehicle. He didn't want to draw too much attention to himself and he was sure that driving up in a flashy sports car would draw the attention of some of the more aggressive reporters in town. He wanted to maintain a low profile at the moment. He wasn't ready for the public eye quite yet.

He got into the car and set off towards Wayne Tower. He would soon have all the resources he needed to begin dismantling the Gotham criminal underworld. The old mob bosses were fading and the new ones would face his wrath. There would be no escape so long as Bruce was guarding over the city.

**Oswald Cobblepot**

**(Gotham Streets)**

The meeting with his lawyer had been a complete shock. He was nearly as rich as Bruce Wayne! Now all he had to do was to figure out what he was going to do with his newfound wealth. He was excited to visit the estate, but that could wait. Right now he needed to get back to Ed's and prepare for the ball. He couldn't believe he had gotten talked into it, but he was a Cobblepot and that now carried a lot of weight.

He could see Wayne Tower soaring above all the local buildings as a testament to the Wayne family's works in Gotham. Oswald couldn't help but sneer at the building in disgust. He hated Wayne's and their building. His parents had been good people no matter what others said about them. He needed to get out of there before his anger got the better of him.

Oswald started walking at a brisk pace, but just as he rounded the corner he saw Bruce Wayne walking in his direction in a hurried pace. Of course, Bruce would show up! Just as his luck was turning around he had to see the man who had betrayed him all those years ago. All Oswald knew was that he needed to get out of there, so he darted through the nearest door to hide from the man.

He slammed the door, holding it shut, and sighed in relief as he heard the Bruce pass by. He needed to get a grip. Tomorrow he would be at Wayne manor and probably have to shake hands with his childhood nemesis. Oswald knew that it was childish to hold on to such an old grudge, but for some reason, he couldn't let it go. He would have to try though, now that he was Gotham's second richest man, he was sure that he would see a lot more of Bruce.

"Ivy's Pots and Flowers, can I help you?" A woman's voice called out.

Oswald turned around in shock to see a beautiful redheaded woman smiling at him. It was the first time that Oswald actually saw where he had entered. It was a flower shop with many beautiful arrangements on the walls. It was a quaint little shop altogether, but Oswald had to admit that its most alluring feature was the woman at the front desk.

"I-I'm sorry miss. I didn't actually mean to come in here." Oswald said.

"I'm not surprised. We don't get many visitors and you slammed the door with a lot of urgencies. So, who are you hiding from Mr?" The woman asked.

"Cobblepot, Oswald Cobblepot at your service." He said giving a slight bow. "As for who I was hiding from… Bruce Wayne was passing by." Oswald said.

"Oh yes, I heard about him coming back. Why are you hiding from him though? Do you two know each other?" she asked.

"From a long time ago yes… I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name."

"That's because I didn't say my name silly! She giggled. "The names Pamela Isley, but you can call me Ivy."

Oswald wasn't sure how to respond to this. The woman was still smiling happily at him and he had to admit that he found her charming. It had been so long since he had talked to a woman though… he had no idea where to begin. Luckily for him, she soon broke the silence with another question.

"So, why exactly are you so afraid of running into Mr. Wayne? Not that I mind the company though."

"I'm going to a ball at his house tomorrow and I don't want to see him any sooner than I have too," Oswald said.

"If you're so afraid of seeing him then why are you going to his ball?" Ivy asked.

"It's… expected of me. I don't really have much of a choice in the matter. I… I just don't want to go alone." Oswald said, whispering the last part.

"Well, then you should take someone with you! It will definitely help calm you're nerves" Ivy said.

"You offering?" Oswald asked.

He didn't know what he was thinking. At first, he had been surprised that she had heard his last remark, but what he had said? How much stupider could he be? It was the lamest way to ask someone out that he could think of and all Oswald wanted to do was to cover his face in embarrassment. Luckily for him, though Ivy seemed to just take it in stride giggling gleefully.

"Well if you're asking then I'd love to. It's not every day that I get to go out with the man that crashed into my shop, and a ball no less."

Oswald was sure that his face was about as red as a tomato right now. Sure, he could face down an entire group of enemy soldiers calmly on his own, but a woman? That was an entirely different story. He was just overjoyed that she said yes. Perhaps this ball wouldn't be quite as unbearable as he had thought.

"So I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight?" Oswald asked.

"It would be my pleasure," Ivy said.

"Alright, well I'll let you get back to… whatever it is you were doing before I barged in. See you tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it." She said.

Oswald left the shop, a large grin plastered to his face. He now had some things he needed to do. He had to get a suite, rent a car, and most importantly, get something special for his date. This was going to be a night to remember.

**Bruce Wayne**

**(Streets of Gotham)**

Bruce had made good time on the way to Wayne Tower, but he had decided to park a block away in an attempt to sneak into the building. Even though he had driven in a discrete vehicle, he knew that reporters were staking out the Tower in hopes of catching a glimpse or hearing something about him. It was insane to him that people were so obsessed with what he was doing, but this was the world he lived in.

He walked down the street spotting few individuals. One man glanced at him before darting into a nearby shop which was strange, but Bruce paid it no mind. He was just happy that he had not yet been mobbed and as he approached the Tower he pulled up his hood in order to conceal himself further.

He approached from the side entrance and managed to dodge a few rogue reporters as he went. Soon enough he was in the building and was finally safe from the watchful eyes outside. He walked down the hallway and walked up to the front desk.

The secretary recognized him immediately and looked about to freak out, but Bruce quickly raised his finger to his lips to silence her. He approached the desk and smiled brightly at her before speaking.

"Hello, I was wondering if you can set up an appointment for me and Mr. Earle two days from now," Bruce said.

The woman seemed to regain her composure before replying, "Of course, sir, would that be all?"

"Yes, thank you very much," Bruce said.

He turned and began walking out the way he had come in. It was a simple conversation and one that didn't need to happen in person, but it had given him access. As they were speaking he had placed a device to send the company files to his home computer. It wouldn't update to current information, but soon every archived document from Wayne Enterprises would be at his disposal.

As for the more current data, he would soon have access to that as well due to the job he would soon have at the company. He knew that Earle would not turn down a Wayne trying to work at the company, it would be a PR nightmare. Things were going perfectly and Bruce would soon have access to everything on Hugo Strange and Jonathan Crane that the company had. He chuckled silently to himself, this was almost too easy.

**Jim Gordon**

**(GCPD)**

Today had been a strange day in the life of Jim Gordon. He had responded to a call late the previous night about a group of drug dealers all lying unconscious in an alleyway. They had been locked up, but the strangest thing was their story. They all told a tale of a mysterious man in black that attacked them and one even said that the man threatened to throw him off the roof.

Jim didn't know what to make of the men's story. It sounded ridiculous, but it was Gotham after all. Gordon wouldn't put it past some lunatic to start running around beating up random lowlives. He sighed and thought to himself, 'I really need to quit this damn job.' He didn't mean it, of course, Jim Gordon was a cop through and through and even Gotham couldn't change that.

He decided that the thug's story didn't really matter as they were all going to prison anyway. Whether a masked man or they themselves caused them to get caught didn't matter to Jim. Criminals were off the streets and the city was safer for it. Hell, if the masked loon did exist then Jim might just thank him before arresting him.

He signed out for the day and was about to head home when the police secretary ran up to him and handed him a letter. Gordon opened it to find an invitation to the Wayne ball. 'Why would I be invited?' he thought. It didn't much matter though, once his wife found out then they would be going no matter what he said. He tucked the letter into his coat and headed out.

This had been a strange day and he had the feeling that tomorrow would just get stranger. Being a cop in Gotham was rough, but hey, at least it was interesting. Then there was the ball situation. He wanted to find out why he was invited, but the more important question was what the hell was he going to wear?

**Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. As always let me know what you think and what you would like to see happen. As I did not do this in chapter 1, here is a list of the actor/actress concepts of the current characters. More will be added later, but these are the current cast. Feel free to read or skip.**

**Bruce Wayne: 28 years old, (Robert Pattinson)**

**Oswald Cobblepot: 28 years old, (Think of Oswald from the Telltale games as a sort of inspiration for my take.)**

**Jim Gordon: 48 years old,. (Gary Oldman)**

**Alfred: 63 years old. (****Jeremy Irons)**

**Ivy: 26 years old, (Maggie Geha)**

**Silver St. Cloud: 27 years old, petite, and average height. Beautiful silver hair and striking blue eyes. (Don't have an actress idea for this.)**

**Danny Robbins: 55 years old, (Bob Odenkirk, but older)**

**Jonathan Crane: 32 years old, (Cillian Murphy)**

**Edward Nygma: 27 years old, (Eddie Redmayne)**

**Harvey Dent 30 years old, (James Franco) **

**Lucius Fox 55 years old, (Morgan Freeman {seriously though, the man is perfect})**

**Hugo Strange: 33 years old, (BD Wong)**

**Selina Kyle: 27 years old, (****Morena Baccarin)**

**Harleen Quinzel: 27 years old, (Rose McIver)**

**Ra's Al Ghul:? years old, (Charles Dance)**

**As I said before, this is just a list of main characters that will appear in the first season (24ish chapter) of the story that I can think of. I will be writing a sort of origins for others and in the future, more will appear (Specifically Joker, Bane, Freeze, Deathstroke, and Deadshot.) I am excited to start with this cast of characters and I can't wait to expand the list in the (hopefully), not too distant future. **

**If you read this far then have a splendid day and stay tuned for chapter 3.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome back! I hope you all enjoy this new chapter. Let me know what you think!**

**P.S. If you also follow my Flash fanfic: The Chemist, I plan to update this week!**

**P.P.S. I don't own Batman.**

**Oswald Cobblepot**

**(Outside Flower Shop)**

Oswald had spent the entire day trying to make everything perfect for his date. He bought a fine suit and hired a limo to drive them. He wanted everything to go well tonight. For whatever reason, he had become completely enamored with Ivy and he wanted to know more about the mysterious woman.

Nygma had been surprisingly absent from the previous night. He called and told Oswald, via a riddle, that he was working all night. Oswald still had yet to see the man since his first night and morning at the apartment. He wasn't complaining about it, but something about Nygma still felt off to Oswald and he desperately wanted to figure out why.

He shook himself from his thoughts and peered into the flower shop window. He couldn't see Ivy anywhere so, after taking in a quick breath, he opened the door and stepped inside. The aroma of the shop filled his nose again with the scent of the numerous flowers whirling together in a delightful way. Oswald could definitely see the appeal of working with plants.

Ivy was still nowhere to be seen, but this is where they had decided to meet. He could hear some rustling in the back and assumed that she must've been doing something last minute. He debated going back and seeing her, but he decided that he could wait just a moment longer and he began to explore the shop.

He saw buttercups, roses, daffodils, primrose, along with cacti, and many more plants. Oswald eventually came to a certain flower that caught his attention above all the rest. It was a white flower that looked like it was just beginning to bloom. It reminded Oswald of a bird peeking out of its nest for the first time.

"They're called moonflowers." Ivy's voice said from behind him.

Oswald whirled around in shock that she had snuck upon him. He was typically super aware of his surroundings, but he had been so enthralled in the moonflower that she had managed to startle him. It wasn't often that someone managed to do that to him, but whilst he usually hated it, for some reason Ivy didn't bother him.

He looked at her closely and once more was lost in shock. Ivy looked absolutely stunning. She was wearing a simple dark green dress, but to Oswald, it looked like the most gorgeous outfit that he had ever seen. He took a quick breath to bring reign his thoughts in before trying his best to say something intelligent.

"I-Um-you're-they're beautiful." He fumbled out.

She giggled at him before stepping forward and picking one of the moonflowers out of their pot before tucking it into his suit pocket and patting it lightly. She stepped back and admired him for a moment before speaking.

"There, now you look perfect. Ready to go Oswald?" Ivy asked.

"Yes, of course. The car is waiting outside." He replied.

Oswald took her by the arm and began leading her outside. It was a rainy night, but luckily he had brought an umbrella to cover them from the storm. The made it quickly to the vehicle, but when she saw it, Ivy stopped short.

"What's wrong?" Oswald asked.

"You rented a limo? You didn't have to do that." Ivy replied.

Oswald chuckled outright at this. He had been worried when she stopped that he had done something wrong or that she had changed her mind about tonight. Her shock over something so simple as a limousine was relieving.

"Of course. We can't go to Wayne Manor in a normal old car." Oswald said.

"Thank you so much for all of this Oswald!" She said hugging him tightly.

He still didn't know why she was so shocked over the limo, but he wasn't complaining. So far this evening was splendid. Holding her close he led her to the door of the vehicle and helped her in. after shutting the door he walked around, closed the umbrella, and got in next to Ivy. The moment his door closed the car began driving off to the place Oswald dreaded most; Wayne Manor.

**Bruce Wayne**

**(Wayne Manor)**

Bruce had just finished introductions with several of the important faces he was expected to greet when he saw the first man on his list: William Earle. The current CEO of Wayne Enterprises was shaking hands with the most important members of the Gotham elite, but he had yet to notice Bruce. Bruce readied himself and walked over to man before tapping him on the shoulder.

"Good evening, Mr. Earle, I trust you've been enjoying yourself?" Bruce asked.

"Why Mr. Wayne, it's a pleasure to see you. I heard that you had scheduled an appointment with me tomorrow?" Earle asked.

"Yes, I wanted to get involved in the work that my parents did," Bruce replied.

"Oh? Is there anywhere, in particular, you were thinking?"

"I thought that the R&D department looked interesting," Bruce said.

"Well, I'm sure that Lucius could use you down there. It would be an honor to have a Wayne at the company again." Earle said.

"I look forward to it. Enjoy the ball, Mr. Earle." Bruce said.

In all honesty, the real reasons behind his desire to work in R&D weren't due to wanting to work there. He needed to be in the company to maintain access to their files. Soon enough his bug would be found and removed and he would no longer have control of the server. The other reason was because of the things he had read about what the R&D lab was working on.

There were files on body armor, specialized sing suits, armored vehicles, and many other items. If he was going to become the protector of Gotham long term then he was going to need equipment. Lucius Fox was going to be an integral part of his plan to save the city.

He had yet to actually see Lucius at the party, but soon enough Bruce spotted Hugo Strange speaking to several people about the Arkham project. He was talking about the improvements and quality of care that the patients would receive at the new asylum if it were to be built. Bruce decided that now would be the best time to get this conversation over with.

"Dr. Strange, I was certainly surprised to learn about your role in the project considering your colorful track record," Bruce said.

"Yes… well whilst my methods have certainly been questioned, I was never officially charged with any wrongdoing Mr. Wayne. The overseers on the project saw that I was the best at extreme personality restoration and hired me. Everything I am doing is above board I assure you." Hugo replied.

"That isn't saying much if the board isn't up to code themselves," Bruce said.

"Well you're certainly entitled to that opinion, but I warn you, Bruce, you might want to stay away from making accusations if you don't have any proof to back them up. You wouldn't want to make enemies in Gotham would you?"

"On the contrary. I will make enemies with those I have to in order to keep Gotham safe Doctor." Bruce said.

"Well, I've certainly had enough of being accused of wrongdoing. Thank you for your fundraiser, but goodnight Mr. Wayne!" Hugo said before storming off. 'Well,' Bruce thought, 'that conversation was certainly enlightening.' Sighing to himself he turned and began walking towards the open bar.

**Oswald Cobblepot**

**(Wayne Manor)**

So far the night had been going splendidly for Oswald. He had just finished his third dance with Ivy and was on his way to get refreshments. He had yet to see any sign of Bruce Wayne, but that suited him just fine. He was content to spend the night with his date and avoid any contact with the so-called 'Prince of Gotham.'

This was easily the best date that he had ever gone on. He and Ivy had discussed many different things and she had seemed interested in everything that he had to say. He had never felt so comfortable around a woman in his entire life, but it was amazing. All of his worries about the evening had seemed to evaporate after the first dance with his beautiful date.

Oswald was pouring two glasses of wine when his thoughts were interrupted by a commotion to his left. He turned to see Bruce Wayne speaking to Hugo Strange in a heated tone. He wasn't surprised to see Hugo Strange there as the event was being held for a project that he was heavily invested in, but why were he and Bruce arguing? He almost considered going closer to hear more when the conversation abruptly ended.

"Good evening, Mr. Wayne!" Strange said, walking away.

Bruce ran a hand through his hair before turning and walking in Oswald's direction. 'Crap,' Oswald thought, 'What am I going to do?' In mere seconds the frazzled looking Wayne had reached the open bar and began pouring a glass of wine for himself. The two were mere inches from one another and all Oswald wanted to do was disappear. He turned and was about to leave scot-free when Bruce's voice called out.

"I don't believe we've met. I'm Bruce Wayne, Mr.?"

Oswald groaned inwardly before turning to face the man. Bruce was holding out his hand in greeting but looked uninterested. Oswald was stunned that Bruce hadn't recognized him. Sure, it had been years since they had crossed paths, but neither of the two had changed terribly much. He desperately wanted to give out a fake name and forget that this ever happened, but Oswald Cobblepot was no liar.

"Oswald Cobblepot." He replied, shaking Bruce's hand firmly.

Bruce seemed to take an interest in him immediately. Looking him squarely in the eye, Bruce seemed to be assessing everything about him. Oswald had to admit that it was unnerving, but there was nothing that he could do about it.

"Oswald? As in the boy I used to go to school with?" Bruce asked.

"The one and only," Oswald said.

"Well, this certainly is a surprise. What have you been up to? It's been such a long time... What are you doing here?" Bruce questioned his eyes narrowing.

Oswald wasn't sure, but that last question seemed to be more pointed than it needed to be. 'He must think that I've followed in my parent's footsteps!' Oswald realized. If they weren't surrounded by so many people then Oswald would have hit the man. As if the only way a Cobblepot could be in fine society was through crime.

"I just got back to Gotham myself actually. As for why I am here Mr. Wayne, I was invited by your estate, now if you'll excuse me, I have some important matters to attend too." Oswald said sourly.

As he walked back to Ivy he could feel the eyes burning a hole in the back of his head. He really should have kept his cool and he was sure that consequences would come from his actions, but he couldn't stand the way Bruce had spoken to him. He wouldn't let the Cobblepot name be looked upon with disgust any longer. He would find a way to restore his family if it was the last thing he ever did.

His train of thought instantly vanished when he saw Ivy's face. She was on the phone and looked to be nearly in tears. She hung up the phone and he immediately went to her side to find out what was wrong.

"What happened?" Oswald asked.

"There was a break-in at the shop. Someone torched the place! That store is my home… What am I going to do Oswald?" Ivy cried, hugging Oswald.

"Shhhh." Oswald said, "Everything will be alright. Let's get you out of here."

He began leading her towards the door of the manor as looks started being thrown in their direction. Oswald supposed It was a typical reaction to someone leading a crying woman away, but it really pissed him off. He was sure that none of the people at this ball knew what it was like to struggle. They were used to people giving them what they wanted without even needing to ask for it. They were judging Ivy without even knowing a thing about what she was going through.

Once they were back to the car Oswald turned to Ivy and asked, "Is there anywhere that I can take you for the night?"

"Yeah, I can stay with my friend Harley. She lives close to the Asylum." Ivy said.

Once the driver had been given the address they began speeding off towards the Arkham district. Oswald was fuming inside. He was going to find out who had done this to Ivy's home and he was going to make them pay. After he dropped Ivy off at her friend's, he was going to go to the crime scene and find out exactly what had happened.

**Bruce Wayne**

**(Wayne Manor)**

The conversation with Oswald had been interesting to say the least. After his parents had exposed the wrongdoing of the Cobblepot family, Bruce thought he would never see the man again. He wanted to find out what exactly Oswald had been up to and more importantly, why he was here. He could do that later though, there were still a few people that he needed to speak to.

There had still been no sign of Lucius Fox, but Jim Gordon had arrived shortly after Bruce's confrontation with Hugo Strange. The last good cop in Gotham, or at least the only one Bruce could find, had just finished a dance with his wife when Bruce was finally able to talk to him.

"Mr. Gordan, a pleasure to meet you," Bruce said.

"Ah, Mr. Wayne, thanks for the invitation. Not sure why you did it, but I appreciate it." Gordon replied.

"I support the work of the GCPD and you are one of the good ones," Bruce said.

"Ha! I suppose you don't know me as well as you think Mr. Wayne. I've had to do some bad things during my time here." Gordon replied.

"Perhaps so, but you are at least trying to do the right thing. That's more than can be said for the rest of the police force from what I can tell."

"Well, thanks I guess. I'm not sure why you'd waste so much time on me though." Gordon said.

"I wanted to ask you what the GCPD is in need of. I plan to make a substantial donation to safety improvements throughout Gotham." Bruce said.

At this Gordon burst out laughing. He continued on for nearly a full minute before he was able to pull himself together.

"I'm sorry, but asking what the GCPD doesn't need is a shorter list. We are understaffed, the cops are corrupt, the equipment is worn, and our labs are horrendous. I'm afraid that your money would be better spent on something more reasonable Mr. Wayne." Gordon said.

"Hmm. Well thank you for your candor, but I intend to go through with my investment. I just need to make it a larger sum. Have a good rest of your evening Gordon, I'm sure we'll speak more at a later time." Bruce said.

"Glad I could help Mr. Wayne," Gordon said.

"Call me Bruce."

Bruce walked away and began preparing for his closing speech. He was the last person to address the crowd, but he was now more certain than ever about what he was going to say. He knew that Gotham was on the verge, but Gordon had put that into a much greater perspective. He was going to have to help the city as Bruce Wayne before he would be able to help it under the cover of darkness.

**Jim Gordon**

**(Wayne Manor)**

"And that is why I will be donating funds to both the Arkham project and to the GCPD at a sum of two million dollars to improve the safety of the city! Please join me in making Gotham a safer place to live." Bruce said.

Jim Gordon was stunned. He had assumed that Bruce would just go back to living a spoiled rich life, but this was something else. The man actually seemed to be trying to make a difference. Sure, it was possible that nothing would come of the donation, but at least it was an effort. Jim actually felt bad about begrudging the man's return.

"Jim, we should go. Barb needs us to help move her into college tomorrow." Leslie said.

"Alright, let's go. The ball is almost over anyway." Gordon said.

They left the manor and began walking to their car when Jim's phone rang.

"Jim Gordon speaking."

"Jim! There was another bank heist tonight! Detective Ramsay is on vacation and since you're the senior officer, you're being requested for the case." Harvey said.

"I'll be right over after I get my wife home," Gordon said.

"Alright see you then," Harvey said before hanging up the phone.

It looked as if the red hood gang was back at it. It had been a few days since they were last seen, but everyone knew that it was only a matter of time before they would be back. Apparently, tonight is the night and as much as Jim wanted to be able to go with his wife to help Barbara, he had a job to do. If he was lucky then the case would be over with quick enough.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go in," Jim said.

"I know, but try and be there tomorrow?" Leslie asked.

"Of course I'll try."

As much as he wanted to believe that he could get everything done in time, he wasn't so sure. Typically the gang cases were wrapped up quickly because of a lack of evidence, but Gordon was worried. He had suspected that the gang was preparing for something and this was the first time they had been active in several days. Whatever it was they were up to, Jim had a feeling that they were getting close to being ready.

**Oswald Cobblepot**

**(Flower Shop)**

By the time Oswald had dropped Ivy off and gotten to the shop the police had finished up and left. The only thing remaining was the police tape indicating that it was an active crime scene. That wouldn't stop him though, he needed to find out who did this. He would just need to be careful not to leave any trace that he had been there.

He slipped on a pair of gloves and ducked under the tape blocking the door. The carnage that the fire had left was devastating. Ash and debris covered the floor and soot was splattered on the wall. The shop had been completely destroyed by the fire and Oswald was glad that he hadn't taken Ivy here tonight. He wasn't sure that she could have handled the sight of it.

He began looking through the rooms to try and find any evidence of the perpetrator. The police had likely found and taken most of the evidence, but knowing the GCPD there would be at least a few things that they had left behind. Oswald had developed an eye for detail though and nothing would get past him. All he needed to do was to put the pieces together.

The marks of the fire had spread outward from the main room where it had originated. There was nothing obvious about what had started the fire, and there was no trace of gasoline, but for some reason, an explosion had happened at the center of the room. There were no traditional signs of explosives which meant that this had been specialized. Whoever had done this was an expert at making bombs, expert enough to leave nearly no trace that they were there.

Oswald examined room after room without spotting anything. He guessed that it was possible the GCPD found all the evidence, but he sincerely doubted it. That left only one option; there was no evidence to uncover. The scene of the crime was immaculate as far as he could see. It was getting late and he needed to prepare for a busy couple of days.

It was now imperative that he find his own place to stay so he could come and go without anyone watching him. He wanted to investigate this further. Oswald didn't know why a professional bomb maker would care about something so simple as a flower shop, but he needed to find out. Something about this whole situation didn't sit right with him, and he was beginning to suspect that this wasn't about Ivy at all.

Oswald also planned on anonymously sponsoring the rebuilding of the shop. He didn't want something like a charity gift to manipulate his relationship with Ivy, but he wanted to do something. If he was right then this had more to do with him than Ivy in the first place. It couldn't have been a coincidence that the day after he, a newfound Gotham elite, visited the shop someone attacked this. Someone was sending him a message.

Who would have known about his inheritance though? His lawyer was the only person that he could think of, but Oswald trusted the man. This was someone who wanted to hurt him. 'If Ivy had been in the shop when it had exploded…' Oswald thought before shaking himself. He couldn't think like that. Someone was targeting him for the Cobblepot fortune and he needed to find them.

He made his way through the building, but just as he was about to exit he saw a carving on the door frame. On the right side, the wood was carved deep by a knife. Oswald reached up and dusted away the soot and ash and when it was clear he was horrified. There, on the door to the shop, the symbol of a question mark was carved into the wood.

'It can't be.' Oswald thought, 'Why on earth would Nygma do this?' It didn't make any sense to him as to why the man would do something so horrible. Sure, he had always sensed something off about Edward, but this… this was something more. There was no doubt that it was him though, that carving had not been there before and it was his calling card.

The more Oswald thought about it, the angrier he became. Edward had tried to kill Ivy in cold blood. The man had offered Oswald a place to stay and then had stabbed him in the back. Oswald wasn't sure why Nygma had done this, but one thing was certainly clear; Oswald Cobblepot was going to kill Edward Nygma.

**And that's a wrap. I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think of the story so far and anything you'd like to see. Have a great week!**


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